Life is Funny That Way
by I am in a PICKLE
Summary: . . . because that’s when Kairi took it upon herself to deliver a swift kick to his genital area.Warnings: some language, & future yaoi. Ch 4! Please R & R!
1. Chapter Uno

Disclamer: Not mine. Idea is though.

* * *

Sora didn't like to think he held an ordinary life. Ordinary meant normal, and normal was **boring**. Having one of the shortest attention spans of anyone he knew, he didn't like boring things. He wanted to be the guy that everyone knew; walking down the street. He wanted to be stared at and pointed at and laughed at. What's life without a few good laughs anyway?! Someday he wanted to be the weird guy living in the bright, multi-colored house, eating sea-salt ice cream. Mmmmm. Sea salt ice cream.

* * *

Kairi liked to think she held an ordinary life. Running after Sora and Riku on every freakin' adventure they decided to go off on, was not her idea of a picnic. She just wanted to be 'that girl'. She didn't want to be known on the streets as 'that girl with Sora' either. Someday, she wanted to be a normal girl, living in a normal house, eating normal vanilla flavored ice cream. What the hell is 'sea salt' anyway?!

* * *

Riku liked to _make believe_ he held an ordinary life. Maybe if he put on a façade of normal, he would **be** normal. Not that he cared or anything. Someday he wanted to be a normal guy, living on the beach, eating sea salt ice cream. The stuff was pretty addicting after all.

* * *

Riku was sitting on his paupu tree, on his island again, with his eyes closed and his head thrown back, just listening to the waves crash upon the shore. 

'chink'

_It's just so calming, the ocean._

'CHINK'

_so tranquil, so…_

'**CHINK**'

_so… _

'**CRACK!!**'

…_Okay, what the fuck is that noise_?!

Riku woke from his dream with a start. His eyes flew open and the crisp morning sun filled his vision.

"**What the hell is that**?!" He roared, a bit more than irritated with whatever was causing that noise. He heard a muffled reply from his mother telling him to watch his language. He also began to hear someone else's familiar, panicked stream of words. Riku got out of bed, walked over to his window, and opened it, slowly blinking his eyes.

"….but then you weren't waking up and I didn't wanna go in through the front door cause I didn't wanna bother your mom cause she still doesn't like me cause I ate her cake cause I didn't know it was for her dinner party and then your window cracked and now you're gonna hate me and I'm not gonna have a best friend anymore and-"

Thankfully on Sora's part, his friend interrupted him.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Sora it is waaaay to early for me to deal with you right now . . . What about my window?" Riku said, still a bit groggy.

"Well, I was **kinda** throwing rocks at it to wake you up and I **kinda **threw one too hard and it **kinda **made a huge crack in it and ... yeah." Sora trailed off, rubbing his shoe in the grass.

"…but, now you're up and we can go get Kairi! Cause it's Saturday and we're going into town and then were going to the island to swim!!!" He finished, becoming more energetic with each word he spoke.

Riku tuned him out and examined his window. Sure enough a large crack splintered the surface. He sighed and glanced over at the clock. The blue digital numbers read 7:30. Seven-fucking-thirty. **Now **he was pissed. He turned back to his friend.

"Sora. You have twelve seconds before I come down there and shove that keyblade of yours up your butt."

Sora meeped and darted off with a final shout of:

"I'll go get Kairi first then we'll come back for you, K?!!"

Riku grunted, slammed his window shut with more force than necessary and threw himself on the bed.

'_Why am I friends with such morning people?'_

The last thing he heard before he drifted off to sleep was his mother's muffled voice from downstairs, telling him that windows don't grow on trees.

* * *

Sora skipped up to Kairi's door and rang the bell. 

'_Well that could have gone better. I should remember that Riku's not a morning person. Oh well! Kairi will be awake!'_

He rang the bell again and then twice more for effect. Finally, a tall, slender, red haired woman answered and smiled at him.

"Hi Mrs. Kairi's mom, is she awake yet?" He asked, beaming.

"She sure is! Now come on in we're just having breakfast!"

"Yay! Breakfast is my favorite!!"

"Sora, everything's your favorite." Her daughter replied from the kitchen.

She shook her head and closed the door behind him, still smiling. '_He still acts the same __way he did when he was young. Sometimes it's hard to remember that boy is sixteen!'_

* * *

"Hey Kairi, have any pancakes left, I'm still hungry!!!" The energetic brunette asked, minutes later. 

"Sora, you already ate mine remember?"

"….oh."

Kairi rolled her eyes at her friend's antics. She loved Sora and all, but sometimes she just wanted to chuck him in the ocean.

"C'mon, Sora. Let's go get Riku!" The redhead stated, getting up and putting the dishes in the sink.

She crossed the kitchen, put on her shoes and grabbed her bag.

"Bye mom!" She yelled.

"Great pancakes!" Sora added, and they left for Riku's house

* * *

Riku was dreaming again. However, this time he was far from his serene island. After all, The World That Never Was is a dreary place. He was walking slowly along the streets and it was raining, as it always was. He had one of the organization coats on, complete with a blindfold and everything. He never really understood the blindfold thing, he only knew that if he took it off, everything would be too bright. He could see things with it on though. Every rain drop, every puddle, every neon lighted building. Just, not as the average person saw things. 

His silver hair was plastered to his head by the rain drops and someone was following him, like always. The hoards of heartless at his feet left him alone, dodging his footsteps as he steadily walked onward. Riku knew who was following him. He's had this dream before, several times, and chances are he would have it again. It was constantly the same dream, but only the ending was different every time.

The footsteps behind him stopped so he did too. Riku turned around and sure enough, it was **him**, Xehanort's Heartless. Riku still called him Ansem in habit.

The former's lips quirked in a smirk and a thin eyebrow rose in question.

Riku's face remained stony, and finally he was the first to speak.

"What is it this time?"

Ansem said nothing, just smirked at him some more. After a while, he slowly raised his arm out to his right side and a shimmery circle of some kind of portal appeared. He lightly touched it, and it stopped wavering and became solid. It looked like a mirror of sorts. Ansem gestured to it and Riku stepped forward until he was next to him and looked at the mirror. There were reflections in it, but it didn't show themselves. In the place of Riku, there was Ansem and in place of Ansem there was… Xemnas. Neither moved until Ansem began to reach for the mirror again. Xemnas mirrored his movements and suddenly the silence was broken. As their hands touched, the mirror shattered and Riku heard Xemnas' ominous voice say:

"**Soon.**"

And his world was forcefuliy thrown backwards.

* * *

The silver-haired boy shot up, out of breath and his eyes immediately darted to the left corner of his room. 

Ansem stood there, like he did every time Riku woke up from one of those dreams, gazing at him in question.

Riku sighed and flopped back down on his bed. Throwing an arm across his eyes he wondered if he could ever have a normal life.

"…can you like . . .**not** watch me sleep?" He muttered dryly.

"Oh, yes because you're just so interesting." Ansem replied, equally as dry.

From the large amount of time spent around Riku, he had developed a constant sarcastic attitude. Riku could cope with this if Ansem wasn't **always** around. But he was! Every fucking day, following him around making snide remarks. But he wasn't about to tell anyone. Let Sora and Kairi think the darkness had completely separated from him. They seemed happy enough.

"So, what the hell did he mean by '**soon**'?! Soon what? Is he coming back?"

"Look kid, how the hell would **I** know that? He just tells me to show you these things and …wait….there was something else…what was I supposed to tell you?… "

Now Riku was getting mad again.

"Will you tell me already and stop being so useless?!"

Ansem frowned and leaned against the wall.

"Well, you're no fun . . . ahhh, yes, it was: 'subsequent to the realms connecting, they will be saved' or something along those lines. Really now, who talks like that? I swear the guy lived in like the 18th century or something. . . " Ansem trailed off talking more to himself now.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Riku muttered, frowning in thought.

Suddenly the door to his room was forcefully kicked open.

"Riku! You get your ass out of bed this second, we're going to town!" Kairi's voice rang out as Riku yelped and fell out of bed.

"K-Kairi?! Kairi, get out! I don't have clothes on!" He stammered and blushed fiercely.

"Pshh, pajamas are clothes, now hurry up and get ready or I'll be back to kill you!" She replied cheerfully, closing the door as she left.

'_Scary, scary girl, that one.' _Ansem muttered with a cringe.

'_Believe me, I know.' _Riku replied, '_and . . . . stop talking to me like this, it's creepy!'_

'_Poor Riku, hearing voices in his head and seeing things that aren't there.' _Ansem smirked.

'_You're . . . there, it's just, everyone else can't see you.' _Riku tried and failed to reassure himself.

'_Mmhmm, who ya trying to tell that to, kid?'_

"Shut up, you." He muttered aloud.

"**What was that?!**"

"Not you, Kairi."

* * *

AN: 

TBC….. if people are interested that is. Suggestions are helpful and probably necessary. I

might just leave it at this but. . . I dunno.

Ummm……WOOT 1ST FIC!!!!!!


	2. Chapter two!

2nd chapter! Thanks for the support!

* * *

"Okay guys, which store do you want to hit first?" Kairi beamed, gazing at all the shops and possibilities hidden inside.

"I vote on one with ice cream!" Sora replied hopefully, raising his hand.

"I second that vote!" Riku joined in.

Kairi squinted into the distance, suddenly catching a glimpse of one of her favorite stores.

"Overruled, were going in that one." She decided firmly, and with that, began to walk purposely over there.

"Hey! It's two against one!"

"Yeah, you can't overrule **two **whole votes!" Sora and Riku argued, and with that, they were silenced with a threatening glare from their redheaded friend.

Scowling and sulking, they followed in her wake, nevertheless.

"Do ya think she'd notice if we just . . . slipped away for a bit? I mean, it's really hot, and I really want ice cream, and from the looks of it, '_Daisy Pink Inc._" does _not_ have ice cream."

'_Kid's gotta point there. I might just risk breaking away from you just so I didn't have to go in . . . __**there.**__'_

Even Ansem had something to say about it.

"You're right," Riku muttered under his breath, "On three. One, two, thr-"

"Y'know, I think if you run away now, I'll hang you upside-down by your toenails and beat you thrice daily with your own severed arm." Kairi stated plainly, without even a backwards glance.

Sora meeped again and walked a bit slower. Riku felt his eye give an involuntary twitch.

'_Sometimes, Kairi makes me want to run.'_

'_In my opinion, that chick needs more female friends. It's you guys' fault she's like this anyway. Hanging around two guys all her life she has to be aggressive to gain respect'_

Ansem replied, still in awe from Kairi's soft outburst.

'_Yeah, who the hell do you think you are?! Sophocles or something?!'_

'_Psh, like I could be anything more intelligent than the level of 'caveman' following you around.'_

'_Fuck you.'_

'_Love you too hunnybuns.'_

Riku halted in his tracks and turned his head slowly to face his unwanted tail.

'_Careful there tootz. Your little friends there might think you're crazy when you you turn and glare at nothing like that. We wouldn't want them to get suspicious now would we?'_

'_Never. Ever. __**Ever.**__ Do tha-'_

"Hey . . . Riku? What are you looking at? . . ." Sora curiously asked, twisting his head around to look where his friend's glare was directed towards.

"Neh? Nothing Sora, now come on before Kairi, like, beheads us." Riku brushed him off.

'_Christ, what the hell did you do that for?! You were never this annoying before, why did you decide to start now?!'_

'_Well, __**you**__ were never this irritable before . . .' _Ansem replied, sulking. Then, more to himself than anything, he added, _'. . . maybe it's one of the side-effects . . ."_

'_. . . What?'_

And with that, Riku slipped away, into the crowd.

"Where do you think you're going?!" Kairi yelled, somewhere in the distance.

". . . bathroom." Riku muttered, giving Sora a look that said, _I'll catch up with you later. _

Sora nodded once, understanding, and smiled. "C'mon, Kairi! Lets go!!"

He then proceeded to grab her arm and drag her along the sidewalk. Once they were out of eyesight, Riku slipped, unnoticed, into a nearby alley.

'_All right, what the hell is going on here?!' _Riku growled, staring down the exasperating heartless who had taken up residence in his heart.

'_Well now, if you want to know something, you're going to have to have to ask nicer than that.'_

Fists clenched, and temper boiling, Riku let a hiss escape his teeth.

'_Okay, Okay!' _Ansem said calmly, raising both his hands in mock defeat.

'_Hmmm . . . how should I begin? . . .'_

'_Ansem . . .'_

'_Ahh, yes! Remember ol' Xemmy, back in that dream of yours? Yeah, well, he's been sending me messages too, though I'm not sure how, if Sora defeated him, then he would be trapped on . . . the 9__th__ maybe? . . . but if . . .'_

'_Hey! Focus!' _Riku barked, irritated and clearly remembering himself being there at that last battle too.

'_Okay, well, you already know there are several worlds out there right?'_

'_No shit sherlo-'_

'_Okay well, in addition to that, there are several . . . erm . . . shit, oh yeah, realms, or dimensions connecting those world too.'_

Riku gave a questioning look.

'_Well, you see, __**I **__am in a separate level, or realm, or dimension, from __**you. **__Namine and Roxas and all the other _whole _nobodies are on a separate level than both of us. Now, each level has it's own distinct laws, or rules. You guys are on like, the 3__rd__ one? . . . yeah. Now your rules are, you guys can't see, or communicate with __**any**__ other level at all. For my level, the 5__th__, I can only see the 3__rd__ level, the 4__th__ level, and mine of course, and because we're connected, I can communicate with you.'_

Riku's head spun.

'_Now on Roxas and Namine's level, the 4__th__, they can only see the 3__rd__ level, and theirs and that's all.'_

'_So, they can't communicate with Sora or Kairi?'_

'_Nope.'_

'_And, you can see them, but they can't see you?'_

'_Now you're getting it!'_

'_But wait, how can I see and talk with you? And how many levels are there? And wh-'_

Ansem cut him off, ending the stream of rapidly flowing questions.

'_Hey, I don't know everything, so don't ask me. I think there are like . . . 8 levels or something. But! When someone on the 4__th__,or 5__th__ levels are . . . for lack of a better word, defeated, and banished from their realm, they are sent to the 9__th__ level. Their own personal hell. That's basically where the entirety of the Organization are, thanks to you and Sora.'_

'_But . . . what does any of this have to do with me?' _Riku muttered, confused.

'_Well, I'm not sure myself, but there are holes in the dimensions. Maybe you're just, like, permanently looking into a hole?'_

'_Wait, there are holes? Doesn't that mean that at any time, the Organization can just come ripping through a hole and kill us all?'_

'_No, you idiot. But they were created on the 6__th__ level, but some time, slipped into the 3__rd__, with you guys. Yeah, usually only people with lots of darkness I their hearts . . . or no hearts at all, can travel between realms. What do you think those portals of darkness are? But sometimes there's a fluke, like if you remember the whole Twilight Town fiasco, Sora and his ship found a hole, and went to the Twilight Town in like . . . shit, I'm confusing myself . . . the 4__th__ realm? Or maybe the 6__th__ . . . '_

Ansem trailed off, now just muttering to himself. Riku shook his head and began to walk away. _Hmmm, wait, Xemnas said something about the realms connecting . . . maybe . . . Oh crap, it's been 23 minutes, please don't kill me Kairi!_

_

* * *

_

_Where the hell is Riku?!_ _That boy better not have gone back home!_

"Kaaaaaaaaariiiiiiiii." Sora interrupted her thoughts.

"It's been like 40 minutes, I bet Riku went to the beach already! C'mon, lets goooo!"He whined, exasperated with Kairi's ability to shop.

"Hey, why is everything you buy, pink anyways? Other colors are nice too, ya know."

"I happen to like pink!" Kairi exclaimed.

"It's a nice color! It goes well with my hair and my skin and my personality-"

"Hey look! Riku's coming!"

Indeed, Riku was sauntering in the store, he smiled and gave a light wave. The girl behind the checkout counter swooned. Kairi rolled her eyes. Sure he's hot, but that was a little dramatic.

"Hey guys, sorry, I was hungry so I grabbed a bite to eat."

"**Without me?!?!** God Riku, that's just _mean_."

Sora yelled, bringing forth a glare from the same checkout lady, who was still eyeing Riku out of the corner of her eye. Uncaring, Sora slumped back down on the fluffy pink chair he was sitting on. _Kairi and her stupid choice of stores . . ._

"Oh, okay." Kairi replied, without even a glance at Riku. She was shifting through some pink and white shorts, trying to find her size. At least, that's what it looked like for people who can't read minds.

_He must think I'm stupid! That jerk! He is hiding something big, and lying his ass off about it. Bite to eat my ass, I bet he found somewhere quiet to talk with god knows who about god knows what! I know he isn't talking to himself, he's not crazy, but who? Who can he see, that Sora and I can't? Hmph! I'm on to you Riku . . ._

A/N :

Well, yup. This is . . . the second chapter! I'm not entirely happy with it, but, whateves.

points up Where'd that plot come from?

Seeing as this is my first fic, suggestions and comments are greatly appreciated!! (Even if they just say I suck and should be eaten by a heartless!)

\( u )/

THANKS!!!


	3. Chapter um 3!

Disclaimer: Not mine. Idea is though!

* * *

"_Why won't you talk to me?"_

"_. . ."_

"_Well, at least look at me so I know you're listening! I know you feel it too, he may be giving me small tasks, but something big is happening here!"_

"_. . ."_

"_You're attuned too, I know that much. You were with them to much not have been effected by it."_

"_. . ."_

"_I wish you would talk to me."_

"_. . ."_

"_I would listen you know. . ."_

"_. . ."_

"_Oh Roxas. . . "_

_

* * *

_

"Riku?"

"Hmmm? . . . Oh sorry! Zoned out there a little, what were you saying?"

_Oh great, now I'm hearing voices. _

"Oh . . . nothing important. . ." Sora muttered, slightly put off.

"No, Sora . . . seriously, I'm sorry, tell me again?" Riku smiled slightly and squeezed Sora's shoulder. Sora then began to launch off into a wild rant about why there shouldn't be coconuts on the trees

Riku knew how Sora could get if he was ignored, and he didn't want to hurt his friend's feelings.

"Hey guys, I got some food stuffs for the beach!" Kairi smiled, and walked over, shoving the bags she carried into Riku's arms as Sora's enthusiastic shout echoed off the dock.

"YAY! Let's go!"

* * *

'_Hey asshole, I'm bored'_

Riku sputtered and involuntarily spat some of the watermelon juice he was drinking down his shirt.

'_What the hell am I?! Your personal entertainment?!'_

Ansem sat up suddenly and walked off, squinting into the trees as if hearing something.

He was really beginning to get on Riku's nerves.

The trio was serenely sitting on the beach gazing at the waves lapping at the shore. The wind was slowly picking up, bringing in the tide, and forcing the trees to dance.

"You okay there, Riku?" Kairi questioned, raising an eyebrow at Riku's seemingly random spasm.

"Yeah, just . . . choked." Riku muttered, crossing his arms defensively and peering at the ocean through his hair. After a while, Kairi spoke again.

"Do you think life will ever be . . . like how it used to?"

The sentence didn't really make sense, and she wasn't exactly sure what she meant herself, but nevertheless, a silence broke out among the three of them. Finally, Sora broke it.

"Well . . . I don't think so. Unless we can go back and forget everything we've done and learned in the past three years, we'll never be the same."

Riku smiled. As much as he enjoyed making fun of him, Sora knew what he was talking about sometimes.

"Yeah, I almost miss the excitement everything brought." Kairi said.

"Yeah, life has gotten so . . . so . . . **boring**!" Sora sputtered in reply.

"I kinda want to go on another adventure." He continued wistfully.

"I don't!"Riku replied incredulously. "If I have to spend one more year in Mr. Keel's 10th grade math, I'm going to throw myself off of a mountain."

"Where the hell are you going to find a mountain?"

". . . Shut up Sora."

Kairi smirked. Having only missed one year of school herself, while the boys missed two was invigorating. She was a full year ahead of Sora and at the same level as Riku.

"Well Sora, at least you'll be a freshman next year."

He groaned in reply.

"Don't remind of that, Kairi, you're **awful**!"

"I could have been going into senior year." Riku complained, and suddenly looked up.

A cool breeze began to blow. It made them all stop in their tracks and face the ocean again.

"That's strange. . ." Kairi muttered, "The wind isn't blowing the right way, it's supposed to be low tide."

"Does anyone else feel that?" Sora said softly.

"Feel what?" Riku muttered at an equally soft level. It was almost as if the wind had taken away their ability to speak in a regular voice.

Sora didn't reply, but he didn't have to. Riku began to feel a strange tightening near his heart, and although the sun was almost all the way down, it seemed to get brighter and brighter until he had to close his eyes. Suddenly his throat closed, and it was impossible to breathe.

'_It's happening.'_

Riku could barely comprehend what Ansem was saying. The wind had picked up and had transformed into something fierce.

He fought for a shaky breath and the light turned into something overwhelming.

Somewhere far away Kairi let out a scream. At least she could breathe.

Riku still couldn't open his eyes and something was very, very wrong.

* * *

"_Do you think they are going to be okay?"_

_Roxas turned to look her in the eye._

"_What's going on?"_

"_I'm not sure myself, but he knows" __Naminé replied, slightly enthralled to have finally heard Roxas' voice._

"_Who?"_

"_Xemnas."_

"_Is . . ." Roxas slightly hesitated, "is he back to normal?"_

_Naminé looked surprised._

"_How do you know about that? It took over him before you were even created."_

"_A-Axel told me." __Roxas replied, his voice shaky._

"_H-he said that things used to be better. Better than they . . . were."_

"_They're not completely dead you know."_

"_I'm not about to get my hopes up."_

"_Oh . . . Roxas."_

_Sometimes Naminé just didn't know what to with Roxas and his stubbornly pessimistic attitude._

* * *

A/N:

Feel free to ask questions! It's kinda confusing and all will be explained . . . someday . . . when I know what's going on. Reviews are helpful and motivating!!!!


	4. Chapter 4

Still don't own it

Thanks for the support and suggestions so far!!!!!!

* * *

Choking, gasping, **drowning** in the very air he so desperately needed, Riku was in full panic mode.

The beach had disappeared for he felt no sand on the ground and the wind was slowly dying. Instead he sensed an emptiness, a strange nothingness that seemingly went on forever.

Why, oh **why** was it was still so god damn bright? It was as if the sun itself had dropped by to say "hello", or in this case, "fuck you, Riku".

He wheezed and dropped down to his hands and knees. Even with his eyes shut tight, Riku felt his vision begin to fade, taking form of a blood red cover, slowly blanketing his already darkened perception.

After a short while of struggling against nothing in particular, he lay on his back, completely still, drifting between consciousness and death itself. He was still attempting to take in air, though at a much more languid pace.

Although his body lay still, his mind was in turmoil. After all, nobody wants to do die at 17. Riku always liked to believe that there was a sign or a hint or **something** that happened to let one know that they were dying. However, he saw no tunnel, no light, no life flashing before his eyes, but he did feel something strange.

Hands.

A pair of hands on his face, tilting it upwards, then, a pair of lips on his.

Air rushed into his lungs and he sat up and choked, shakily drawing in breaths on his own, the arms now holding him, comfortingly.

He sat there and let whoever it was hold him, shaking, tears leaking from his closed eyes.

* * *

Sora bleakly opened his eyes and found himself somewhere disgustingly familiar. Darkness surrounded him and he was lying on the ground. He vaguely sensed thousands of glowing yellow eyes on him and, instantly alerted, jumped to his feet. Summoning his keyblade, Sora grit his teeth together and whipped around.

The heartless were there, just beyond the border on the circular platform he was on. They weren't making any movement toward him, they were just sitting there, twitching and blinking at him. He frowned and stood up straight, dropping his battle stance and letting his guard down for just a second.

But that was all it took.

There was a swish of air and a shout and he felt something cold press against both sides of his neck.

'_Fuck!'_

Suddenly his keyblade was flung out of his hand and the person behind him spoke.

"I could kill you right now if I wanted to y'know."

'_Double_ _fuck!'_

* * *

Kairi found herself being forcefully ejected out of her comfort zone. The strange, howling wind whipped around her, tearing at her hair like a misbehaved four year old child.

She coughed, reaching out and blindly trying to move forwards. She felt someone take her hand and pull slightly, and all at once, the world was more serene. Taking a shaky breath Kairi opened her eyes.

"You shouldn't be hurt, but are you?" Naminé's calm voice broke the silence and her hand was dropped.

"N-no, I'm fine. Naminé . . . how?. . ." She managed, staring at her nobody who looked as real and whole as anyone else.

Said nobody smiled and nodded slightly.

"All will be explained," She said lightly, beginning to walk in a seemingly random direction, "now follow me, we have much to do."

"Are Sora and Riku alright?" Kairi questioned, worried about the whereabouts of her companions.

"Sora will be fine, he has a strong heart and a soul filled with light. As long as he has his keyblade he will be alright." Naminé smiled again.

'_Oh God.' She _suddenly thought of her other friend, whose soul hadn't been shining too brightly lately.

". . . and Riku?" Kairi cringed. She didn't even need to see her nobody's smile falter to know the answer to that one.

"Well actually," Naminé bit her lip, "I don't quite know the answer to that one. He's very strong, I know that much, but . . ." she trailed off.

"He never really let it go, did he? The darkness in his heart . . ." Kairi muttered, "Oh, Riku."

"It haunts him, in a way, everyday now . . . though . . . I do believe he's beginning to get used to it." Naminé finished. "Now come on, we must find him, he's here somewhere and I don't really trust An . . . **anybody** to take care of him efficiently."

Kairi caught her fault and immediately began to think on it.

'_What the hell is going on here?!'_

* * *

"Shouldn't be long now." Naminé's quiet voice echoed through Kairi's head. They had been walking for what seemed like ages, and encountering nothing but a constant soft glow of white.

"Shouldn't be long 'till what?" Kairi questioned softly, not wanting to disturb the eerie tranquility of the space they were in.

Suddenly Naminé stopped, looking around inquisitively as a dry voice pierced through the air.

"Well it's about damn time you showed up."

Kairi wheeled around facing someone she thought she'd never see again.

"Ansem? What are you doing here?" She inquired. ". . . and what the fuck did you do to Riku?!" She added, spotting her motionless friend on the floor.

Ansem made a slightly disgusted face and turned to face her.

"Woah woah woah, you're lucky he's even breathing you little redheaded bit-"

And that was as far as he got.

Because that's when Kairi took it upon herself to deliver a swift kick to his genital area.

Needless to say, he went down in an instant.

"Now, now Kairi, does that really solve anything?" Naminé asked, although there were hints of amusement found in her soft voice. She knelt next to her somebody at Riku's side and reached a hand out to touch his forehead.

She paused for a moment and pulled away with a slight smile.

"He'll be fine." Naminé voiced her analysis and her companion breathed a sigh of relief.

"Do you know what happened to him?" Kairi muttered.

"His power was-" Naminé stopped, as Riku stirred on the floor.

_Oww, my fucking head . . ._

Riku sat up, blinking a couple times. The light was still too bright, but it was bearable now.

"You feeling okay, Riku?" Kairi asked from beside him.

"Yeah, Kairi. I'm f- **Naminé?!**" He exclaimed, incredulously, while said girl smiled in response.

Questions spun through Riku's pounding head, and he wondered what the hell happened to him. Thinking for a moment, he finally decided on one. He figured it was safe since the girls kept glancing over there anyways.

Tilting his head towards Ansem, who was sill on the floor in anguish, Riku commented, "So, what the hell is wrong with him?"

* * *

A/N: Yeah, sorry, I don't have much faith in this story right now. But I'm trying!

Comments/Suggestions are appreciated/needed!!


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